JACKSONIANS MAY LOSE VOTE ON COLLECTOR SEAT

JACKSON -- After three terms in office, Beverly Nelson may be Jackson's last elected city collector.

Nelson announced she won't run again after her term expires in April 1997. She has worked in the collector's office for 24 years, watching Jackson grow.

Because Jackson is growing so quickly, she said, it makes sense for Cape Girardeau County to collect Jackson's taxes. The county already collects Cape Girardeau city taxes.

Under state law, for the county to collect Jackson's taxes Jackson voters must decide whether they want an elected or appointed city collector. That question appears to be headed for a vote in April. The Jackson Board of Aldermen hasn't passed a formal resolution to put the question to a vote in April, but City Administrator Steve Wilson said aldermen will take action soon.

Nelson said, "I checked with (County Collector) Harold Kuehle, and we could save $2,500 in paperwork, tax forms, envelopes and postage by contracting our collections with the county. Plus, the cash flow would be increased because we would eliminate delinquent personal property taxes."

Because Jackson eliminated its city sticker program in the late 1980s, there hasn't been a way to force people into paying city personal property taxes. The city attorney could deal with delinquencies, but court costs would exceed the taxes collected.

Right now about 10 percent of Jackson residents don't pay personal property taxes to the city. The delinquencies total $12,000.

While the state attorney general's office told Nelson she probably could have Kuehle collect the city's taxes even though Jackson has an elected collector, Nelson said the appearance wouldn't be good. Also, there is no precedent for a fourth-class city with an elected collector like Jackson contracting its tax collections with a county.

Nelson's office employs a full-time and a part-time assistant, neither of whom qualify for city employee benefits because they fall under the city collector's realm. With an appointed collector, all employees would qualify for benefits.

Wilson said he wasn't sure whether the city would advertise for another collector if the position became appointed. The collector's duties could be distributed among city employees.

"We're moving into a new city hall, and we don't know what our employee needs will be," Wilson said. "We'll be in much better shape to assess that once we're moved."

Jackson offices should be moved to the old Boatmen's Bank on Courthouse Square before Thanksgiving.